Project Safari: A Software PM's View on People & Projectshttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariFollow one Software Project Manager, with extensive education and experience managing various people and projects, as he shares observations and offers insight into the methods of managing the technologies, resources, and personalities behind successful projects.en-usSun, 02 Aug 2015 18:05:07 +0000ITtoolbox RSS Generator 1.0hourly1Project Sociology Video Presentationhttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/project-sociology-video-presentation-14166?rss=1Below is my first video presentation in a new series, Project Sociology. If you like, don't hesitate to share!
"The the real challenge lies within understanding the behavior of humans within the project context (therefor I coin the phrase Project Sociology -If you look on Wikipedia you will find the following definition: "<i>Sociology is the study of the social lives of humans, groups, and societies, sometimes defined as the study of social interactions.</i>" ). If we have a better understandinproject sociologysociologyhuman behaviorprojectproject managementproject manager14166@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariSun, 28 Jan 2007 05:54:40 GMTMaking Sense of Stakeholder Mappinghttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/making-sense-of-stakeholder-mapping-12718?rss=1For those of you who liked my previous entry on <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/using-stakeholder-analysis-12630">Using Stakeholder Analysis</a> within projects, you might also be interested in this great article posted on PMForum.org: <a href="http://www.pmforum.org/library/tips/2006/11.htm#2">Making Sense of Stakeholder Mapping</a>. It's not mine, sadly, whished I had come up with it :)
<i>"Initial consideration of stakeholders is often done using a technique based on sproject managementstakeholdersstakeholder analysisstakeholder mapping12718@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariSun, 05 Nov 2006 02:03:26 GMTUsing Stakeholder Analysishttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/using-stakeholder-analysis-12630?rss=1Every software professional that has been part of more than one project knows for sure: no two projects are the same. Different circumstances make most software projects unique in several aspects. And with different situations come different approaches to handle project life effectively: there are mutliple ways to "do" a project. Different circumstances <i>require </i>different approaches.
Although a project is to a large part defined by the required end results and technology used, the main deproject managementpmstakeholder analysis12630@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariTue, 31 Oct 2006 14:04:21 GMTAnger Management For Project Managershttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/anger-management-for-project-managers-11894?rss=1You probably know the feeling: you are depending on all those people that have no idea how to do there job. You just better do it yourself.
I guess this behaviour is not professional, but you feel sooo much better :)
Enjoy.
Just click on the movie to start it.
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AQRvMAGAf0g"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AQRvMAGAfproject managementfun11894@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariMon, 25 Sep 2006 16:12:12 GMTSoftware Project Management in 15 Minutehttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/software-project-management-in-15-minute-11803?rss=1I am very excited. I just created a video called "<b>Software Project Management in 15 Minutes</b>" and released it on YouTube.com so you can watch and share it with others.
And yep, it is a 15 minute crash course on software project management:
<i>"It's late Friday afternoon and you have just been told by your boss that you wil It's late Friday afternoon and you have just been told by your boss that you will be the project manager for a new software development project starting first thing onproject managementvideo11803@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariWed, 20 Sep 2006 18:48:48 GMTTwo Project Management Audio Showshttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/two-project-management-audio-shows-11696?rss=1Just before the weekend I want to point out to you two project management audio shows, or podcasts that you can listen to for free. Both are regular shows available as mp3 audio files you can download. You can either listen to them on your mp3 player or on your computer.
The <a href="http://www.thepmpodcast.com/">Project Management Podcast</a>, a free, weekly on-demand internet "radio show." The Project Management Podcast is hosted by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, and brings project management topicproject managementpodcast11696@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariThu, 14 Sep 2006 16:57:57 GMTCountry and Cultural Differences in Projectshttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/country-and-cultural-differences-in-projects-11584?rss=1I hope you enjoyed your summer, at least for those here in the Northern Hemisphere. Now my holiday is over and I started working in the project trenches again.
During August I was so fortunate to travel through Russia, Mongolia and China. Meeting so many new and different cultures made me think about the impact of a country's culture on software projects.
Let me provide you with the following quote from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Agile-Software-Development-Alistair-Cockburn/dp/Manage Projectsmanaging projectscultural11584@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariSun, 10 Sep 2006 07:01:01 GMTFree PM Report: Project Profiling With Systems Thinkinghttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/free-pm-report-project-profiling-with-systems-thinking-10685?rss=1In the past months the entries in this blog all covered the subject of using systems thinking to analyze problems in projects.
Because of the nature of a blog, it might sometimes read a little confusing. For that purpose I created a free report of all the information presented called "Project Profiling With Systems Thinking".
You get for free when you <a href="http://www.projectprofiling.com/reports/">signup for my monthly newsletter</a>.
Learn Systems Thinking with
1. Reinforcing Feedback Lproject managementsystems thinkingproject analysis10685@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariMon, 24 Jul 2006 10:53:53 GMTPM Archetypes And Problem Variableshttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/pm-archetypes-and-problem-variables-10318?rss=1We have discussed some archetypes described by Peter Senge in the <a href="http://www.softwareprojects.org/fifth-discipline.htm">Fifth Discipline</a>. But of course the big question remains "how does this help the project manager?" In <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/starting-systems-thinking-in-pm-8682">one of my previous entries</a> I discussed that you have to look at a certain variable (like budget overrun, defect rate) over time, and to investigate the trend.
The pattproject managementfifth disciplinesystem thinking10318@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariWed, 05 Jul 2006 14:31:31 GMTHow To Find Your PM Method Among 200 Books?http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/how-to-find-your-pm-method-among-200-books-10056?rss=1It has been a while since my last post. Sorry for that but I will make it up to you all from now :) I just read my previous postings on were I left off; than an internal discussion in my head took place on why on earth did I start rambling about the <a href="http://www.softwareprojects.org/fifth-discipline.htm">Fifth Discpline</a>?
Short answer is that I think it might help project managers in their job, the longer answer is a little more complicated (that's why it is the long answer I guess).
project managementmethodstechniques10056@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariWed, 21 Jun 2006 11:02:02 GMTPM And Tragedy Of The Commonshttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/pm-and-tragedy-of-the-commons-9411?rss=1The Fifth Discipline archetypes I discussed until know (<a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/pm-and-limits-to-growth-9260">Limits To Growth</a>, <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/pm-and-fixes-that-backfire-8812">Fixes That Backfire</a> and <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/pm-methods-only-do-something-if-there-is-a-problem-7105">Shifting The Burden</a>) can be considered as relatively simple. Just a view loops that are interacting. Realtragedy of commonsproject managementsystems thinkingproject problems9411@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariSat, 20 May 2006 08:32:32 GMTPM And Limits To Growthhttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/pm-and-limits-to-growth-9260?rss=1Within <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/008682.asp">my series</a> about the archetypes used in The Fifth Discipline the "Limits To Growth" archetype cannot be omitted. project managementresourcessystems thinking9260@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariFri, 12 May 2006 09:19:19 GMTPM And Fixes That Backfirehttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/pm-and-fixes-that-backfire-8812?rss=1In the next few entries I will discuss the archetypes used in the <a href="http://www.softwareprojects.org/fifth-discipline.htm">Fifth Discipline</a> (as that is the topic I am <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/008682.asp">still writing about</a>).
<b>Fixes That Backfire</b>
Within this system you have two loops that interfere with eachother: there is a problematic situation that is solved by a short term (fast) solution. However this loop has unintended consequences that project managementsystems thinking8812@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariSat, 15 Apr 2006 07:03:03 GMTFree 86 page Project Management eBookhttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/free-86-page-project-management-ebook-8724?rss=1Until the end of this month I am giving away my Project Management eBook <i>Microwave Way to Software Project Management </i>for free. Just by <a href="http://www.softwareprojects.org/newsletter.htm">subscribing to my newsletter</a> you get to download the 86 page PDF file.project managementebookpdf download8724@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariMon, 10 Apr 2006 13:19:19 GMTStarting Systems Thinking In PMhttp://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafari/starting-systems-thinking-in-pm-8682?rss=1Perhaps after the <a href="http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/people/archives/008579.asp">previous entry</a> you wonder how systems thinking might help you solving your project problems... The idea behind this technique is that if you go deep and detailed enough, the real problem will become clear to you. And once you are aware of the real problem, finding the solution gets easy.project managementsystems thinking8682@http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/projectsafariFri, 07 Apr 2006 09:36:36 GMT